I Chronicles 29:10-13. David's Prayer

Monday, Morning Prayer, Week 1

In the Liturgy of the Hours the heading or title for this canticle is "Glory and honor are due to God alone." The text is part of David's prayer of thanksgiving. It dwells on God's eternal kingdom.

One of David's cherished wishes was to build a temple in honor of the Lord, a dwelling place for the Lord among his people. But through the prophet Nathan, David was told that this would be done by his son Solomon. David's hands were stained by too much blood. David, however, had gathered, all that was needed for the construction of the temple. He had gathered the materials and collected money; and the people were enthusiastic. The first nine verses of this chapter of 1 Chronicles tell the story.

The text of David's praise of the Lord and his thanksgiving needs no comment. For study one should read the entire chapter from which this canticle is taken. The prayer-song continues through verse 18, ending with a prayer for Solomon, that he would be faithful to the Lord and build the temple for which David had made preparations.

David's achievements as king were "unique and stellar within the triangle, of great powers surrounding him -- the Jewish nations's finest hour, as political history goes. Yet all this is made to seem trivial in comparison with his dedication to the organization of liturgy. David so far outshines Moses that no Sinaitic or other covenant is any longer worth fostering as a vital force in the religious life of the people. The Temple was basically David's, achievement, from cornerstone to parapet, although the details of its execution will suffice to dominate and galvanize the ensuing reign. " (JBC)

Reflection: In Jesus, the new temple, God would be accessible to all peoples.